Guitar Amplifiers

[RSI]

Who here plays guitar or any similar electric instrument? Well I play a semi-electric (hollow-body, acoustic looking really) guitar and I'm looking into gettting an amp.

What kind of amp would you guys suggest? I don't want anything huge, as I want to be able to bring it to school on a near daily basis.

Please keep in mind that I'm located in QC, Canada, and listing prices in Canadian currency would be helpful. Would anybody know of any good places around my area to buy amps/etc from? I'm pretty knew to this, so I don't really know.

Thanks in advance for any input...

-RSI

 

[ultravox]

If you can find one....an old Fender Twin reverb is really good or a Fender Princeton...the ones with the white cases. Try Steve's Music in Mtl. If you want something bigger go for a Fender Showman with twin 15's. These new Mini-amps suck big-time. They sound alright when playing individual strings as in solos but sound all garbled when playing chords...nothing beats the old Tube amps for quality of sound. Clapton still uses an old Twin Reverb on stage.

Good luck

 

[DefRef]

You do NOT want a Fender Twin! They weigh a ton. Not good if you're looking to lug it around.

What brand/model guitar do you have and what style of music do you play? What are you looking to do? Gig, jam or just practice?

 

[snow patrol]

Heheh, Fender Twins are fantastic amps, but they're not what you're looking for. I once dropped a Fender Twin on my foot and couldn't walk for a week! I personally have a Fender Super 60 Valve amp, but that is pretty damn heavy as well.

A good amp for a 'beginner-intermediate' would be something from the Marshall Valvestate series, or the Fender Princeton. Valve amps sound better IMHO, but I think a decent one is probably a bit out of your price range right now. Plus valve amps generally cause a lot more hassle and are expensive to maintain/repair.

Check out Harmony Central for loads of user amp reviews, it's a great site and should help give you a better idea of what's right for you. Good luck

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

Quality pop or jazz - Fender Twin
Quality rock & hard hitting metal- Mesa Boogie
Cheap, OK sounding, easy to transport - Crate
Laugh of the neighborhood - Pignose
Alternative rock and overall quality- Vox
Biggest waste of money - Marshall

Help out any? BTW, anything but Crate and Pigschnoz's are heavier than hell. Anything tube = heavy.

<Edit>

I have a few amps and cabinets, but they are all REALLY expensive vintage stuff. I think your best bet is a good Crate IMHO.

 

[snow patrol]

Fender Twins can definitely do rock! They sqeal like anything, I love em to death

 

[RSI]

Well it depends, if that amp that &quot;weighs a ton&quot; kicks ass, I'll happily lug it around as long as it's not the size of .... something I can't carry on a school bus.

My guitar I think the make is &quot;sammick&quot; or something like that. It's semi-electric and it's pretty heavy for a guitar I guess. The case is also heavy too ... But the case doesn't fit perfectly, my guitar is an irregular/nonstandard shape.

Anyway, right now I don't know how to play a whole lot, I'll tell you a few of the things:

Minority, Green Day (most green day stuff is easy and I can play)
Stairway to Heaven, Led Zep (only song by them I know)
Californication (don't know ALL of the solo yet), Red Hot Chili Peppers
Scar Tissue, Red Hot Chili Peppers (only know a bit of it)
Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers (know all of it)
Zombie, The Cranberries (know the beginning part)
Animal Instinct, The Cranberries (the part that repeats a million times )
MxPx, Punk Rawk Show (I know I know, but it's a cool song! )
Pennywise, Bro Hymn
Self Esteem, The Offspring
Suicidal Dream, Silverchair
Anthem for the Year 2000, Silverchair (don't know all of it)
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd (hehe)
Twist and Shout, The Beatles (duh)
Some other beatles song I can't remember the name of, The Beatles P)
Mr. Jones, The Counting Crows
Save Tonight, Eagle Eye Cherry

There's just a few of the songs I know that I can remember off the top of my head... I've been playing on and off for a couple of years, and had lessons a few times. It seems I always try to learn a song and never get through it. Oh yeah, I also learnt Smooth by Santana (and Rob Thomas), but I never learnt the whole solo, which I wanted to. But the rythm part I can play pretty much flawlessly, it's not very hard.

Anyways... I guess that should give you a clue of what kind of stuff I'm into, but please bare in mind that I am in no way limited to those types of songs, I'm open to any good stuff you have to offer.

I'd be just as happy to learn, say, some Hendrix stuff, as Goldfinger or whatever... Just saying that because I listen to this (above) type of music mostly, doesn't mean I am not interested in others (blues, jazz).

Well, I definitely don't want an amp that weighs 250lbs, but I want something with a rich, powerful enough sound that won't dissapoint me. My friend has a little 10 watt amp, and it's kind of shietty, but it does the trick for him I guess. I definitely want something better than that little box, though.

Anyway, if that Fender amp that was mentioned is good, how big is it approximately and how much does it cost? BTW I know about Steve's music store, guess I should check that out next time I'm downtown (my parents work around there all the time, so it shouldn't be too much trouble for me to get there ).

Oh yeah, in response to the question asked about what I would be playing with the amp... I'm not exactly sure set on that idea yet. I will definitely be using it for practice, but almost definitely for jamming as well. Hopefully with time some gigs too, but I think it's going to be quite a while before I do my first gig.

Anyways, thanks for the input, keep it comin'.

-RSI

 

[Gibson486]

What are you talking about? You cannot go wrong with a Marshall amp. They make good practice amps and make some of the best cabs. Bottom line: Marshall give you lots of bang for buck. If you can afford one(let alone find one in the US) get an amp by Laney.

 

[TimberWolf]

Fender Twin Reverb - might as well start paying your dues . . . !

 

[RSI]

I think my friend's amp is a Masrhall. Not sure though. Whatever it is, it's small, doesn't have much bass, etc - but it isn't all bad, it sounds alright and goes pretty loud considering it's only 10 watts.

Well, I think it's 10. It's small anyhow.

-RSI

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

<< What are you talking about? You cannot go wrong with a Marshall amp. >>



?

I beg to differ. Marshalls are overpriced pieces of crap. You want good sound? Try a Fender Bassman or a vintage Vox, then tell me what sounds better. Marshalls are only good for one thing, distortion. That is where they shine. But that can only go so far. I can make a Bassman sound as good or better than a Marshall full stack distorted, and also have the better reliability and tonal control over a Marshall. I have/have had just about every amp you can get, including vintage stuff like Traynors. Marshall used to be king of the hill in the dist. department, but anymore with the new digital effects, having a Marshall is not worth it. That and the new ones suck.

In the new amp department, I think the new Mesa Boogies thrash Marshalls. They sound beauitiful. Add a little digital effects, and :Q

I used to love Marshalls, and was a die hard finatic, but grew to hate Marshalls. They have their place, but if you try some other stuff, you will dislike Marshalls also.

 

[convex]

no suggestions on a trace elliot yet? for shame

 

[Suicidal]

I thought trace elliot just made bass amps? The smallest amp i would go with is a 1x12 combo amp. Check out fender or marshall for small combos. You didn't say how much you want to spend so it's hard to recommend an amp. If you're going to be lugging it back and forth to school, go for solid state, you're going to ruin the tubes with all the banging around... unless you have a road case for it. Make sure the tubes are cool before moving around, it'll keep them lasting longer.

 

[DefRef]

I'll happily lug it around as long as it's not the size of .... something I can't carry on a school bus.

Did anyone catch that part? A Fender Twin or Marshall stack is NOT an option!

If you don't need to play with others, why not a headphone amp? I think Zoom makes some that run on batteries. My Line 6 POD has a headphone jack. (Requires to be plugged in though.)

 

[XMan]

OT, but of course, this is OT.

Anybody heard the Bob and Tom skits featuring British rock reviewer Ian St. Ian . . . as Ian says, &quot;If you don't use Gibson and Marshall - you're a wanker!&quot;